High tension insulator mounting bracket assembly with detachable appearance cover



July 28, 197-0 1.. E. LINDSEY 3,522,363

HIGH TENSION IHSULATOR MOUNTING BRACKET ASSEMBLY WITH DETACHABLE APPEARANCE COVER Filed Jan. 15, 1969 Z4 INVENTOR.

- 6. d/A/D565 United States Patent 3,522,363 HIGH TENSION INSULATOR MOUNTING BRACKET ASSEMBLY WITH DETACH- ABLE APPEARANCE COVER L. E. Lindsey, 222 Vista Ave., Pasadena, Calif. 91107 Filed Jan. 13, 1969, Ser. No. 790,604 Int. Cl. H02g 7/20; H01b 17/00 US. Cl. 17445 17 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to high-tension power lines and more particularly to an improved set of insulator mounting brackets constructed for attachment in diverging array on the opposite sides of a common upright support.

Many proposals have been made heretofore relating to the construction of power transmission lines to improve their utility, ability to withstand various hazards and extreme weather conditions and to reduce initial and maintenance costs. The more economical utilization of space occupied by the power line is also a critical factor, particularly in more highly populated areas. The supporting structure must be rugged and capable of withstanding icing and high wind conditions, yet occupy a minimum ground support space. To meet these requirements, greater attention has been given to the use of a single supporting leg and the utilization of improved techniques for supporting high-tension conductors properly spaced at the upper end of a single leg support.

To meet such needs as those indicated above and to avoid the shortcomings of prior designs, there is provided by this invention a set of insulator support brackets adapted to be rigidly secured in balanced pairs on the opposite sides of a common support structure and in such manner that all conductors are spaced at safe operating distances from one another. Each bracket is specially designed for maximum strength with minimum utilization of material and contoured at its base end for rigid securement to the support at widely diverging angles to adjacent brackets. Both the individual bracket and the upper por tion of the common support are preferably encased in a smooth-surfaced, neat appearing housing thereby improving and enhancing the appearance and concealing underlying components designed for strength rather than appearance. The enclosing casing for the pole or common support includes provision for supporting disappearing footsteps when not needed to support a lineman.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the invention to provide a novel and improved structure for supporting a plurality of high-tension conductors from a common support.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a set of high-tension insulator supports designed for secure- 3,522,363 Patented July 28, 1970 ment in balanced array along the opposite sides of a common support structure.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved support for a multiple conductor power line characterized by its simplicity, ruggedness, and greatly improved appearance.

These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawing to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawing in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side view taken from the righthand lower corner of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view on a slightly enlarged scale of the lower right-hand corner of FIG. 1 and showing one of the appearance covers detached.

Referring initially to FIG. 1, there is shown a single upright pole 10 to the diametrically opposed sides of its upper end of which are secured similarly disposed pairs of insulator brackets 11, 12 and 13. The brackets of pairs 11 and 13 are identical, as shown in FIG. 1, the upper brackets merely being rotated degrees from the position of lower brackets 11. Center brackets 12 are identical and have their opposite ends parallel to one another.

The construction of brackets 11, 12 and 13 will be best understood from FIGS. 2 and 3. As clearly appears therefrom, each is provided with a base plate 15 and an outer end plate 16 rigidly interconnected to one another by a plurality of struts 17 arranged generally in a ring with their opposite ends rigidly connected to the adjacent one of plates 15 and 16. These plates are preferably cast from suitable material, as high-strength aluminum alloy or steel. Base plate 15 is contoured on its exterior side to fit flush against the common support 10. As herein shown, support 10 comprises a pole of circular cross section, the base plate 15 being rigidly anchored thereto in any suitable manner as by through bolts 20 which are common to a pair of base plates.

Protective shrouds or covers enclose struts 17 of each.

of the brackets. These not only conceal the struts but exclude foreign matter, prevent birds and rodents from building nests therein, and protect the struts from the weather. As herein shown, covers 22 are formed in two halves from lightweight sheet metal. In general, each cover is semitubular with flattened surfaces merging along crease lines 23 (FIG. 2). Each cover is held in place by one or more cap screws 24 having threaded engagement with end caps 15, 16 or to lugs integral therewith.

Suitably anchored to base plate 16 at the outer end of each bracket is a typical high-tension insulator 26. Such insulators are of conventional construction and include an embedded threaded shank receivable through a mounting opening 27 formed centrally of end plates 16. Threadedly mounted in at least the lowermost bracket on either side of the pole is a groundinglug 28.

The upper end portion of pole 10 is preferably embraced with a protective shroud 30 formed in two semicylindrical halves 31, 32. It is also pointed out that each of shrouds 31, 32 is provided with a cutout 38 sufiiciently large to fit about the edges of the bracket base plate 15. These halves are shaped to fit against the sides of pole firmly and sungly. The shroud is anchored in place as by outturned flanges 33, 33 provided with aligned holes at intervals to receive clamping bolts 34. Flanges 33, 33 are preferably spaced apart sufiiciently to receive a pivoting footstep 36. The inner end of this footstep is equipped with a downturned lug or stop 37 (FIG. 3) positioned to abut the pole when pivoted downwardly to the extended position shown in FIG. 3. When not in use, the footstep is pivoted upwardly to lie against the pole as indicated in dot-and-dash line in FIG. 3 and is substantially concealed from view. These footsteps may be distributed along the length of shroud 30 in proper positions to support a lineman while servicing the power line.

While the particular mounting bracket assembly for high-tension insulators herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention.

I claim:

1. In combination with an upright support, a set of mounting brackets for use in supporting a plurality of high-tension conductors along the side of said upright support, said set of brackets comprising three spaced-apart insulator support brackets arranged in a common vertical plane along the side of the upper end of said upright support with the central one thereof projecting generally horizontally and the remaining support brackets being inclined in opposite directions and away from the said central one thereof, means at the outer ends of each of said support brackets for securing thereto the base end of an elongated high-tension insulator, means securing the base end of said support brackets rigidly to the side of said upright support, each of said support brackets including a plurality of elongated struts arranged in a ring and including plate-like members rigidly interconnecting said struts at either end thereof, and smooth-surfaced concealing housing members detachably secured about each of said support brackets and cooperating to conceal said strut members.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 characterized in the provision of duplicate sets of said support brackets lying substantially in the same plane with the brackets of corresponding pairs thereof disposed directly opposite one another on said upright support.

3. The combination defined in claim 2 characterized in the provision of a pair of semitubular smooth-surfaced appearance covers embracing said upright support along the portion thereof occupied by said support brackets and including means for holding the same in place at the upper end of said upright support.

4. The combination defined in claim 3 characterized in that the opposite lateral edges of said appearance covers for said upright support have outwardly projecting flanges therealong, and fastener means extending between the flanges on adjacent edges of said appearance covers cooperating to hold the same clamped to said upright support.

5. The combination defined in claim 4 characterized in the provision of footstep means for use by a lineman servicing the power line and secured in place by said appearance cover fastener means.

6. The combination defined in claim 5 characterized in that said footstep means is pivotally connected to said fastener means for swinging movement in a vertical plane between an upright retracted position and an extended rigid position projecting generally horizontally from said upright support.

7. The combination defined in claim 6 characterized in that in the retracted position thereof said footstep means lies between the flanges of the appearance covers for the upper portion of said upright support.

8. The combination defined in claim 3 characterized in that said appearance covers are notched along the opposite lateral edges thereof to fit about the inner base ends of said brackets.

9. The combination with an upright support, a set of mounting brackets for use in supporting two groups of high-tension conductors in vertically spaced-apart relation along either side of said common upright support, a first pair of elongated insulator support brackets mounted in horizontal alignment against the opposite sides of said common support, a second pair of elongated insulator support brackets mounted on said common upright support with their axes diverging upwardly at an obtuse angle to one another and spaced vertically above said first pair of brackets, a third pair of elongated insulator support brackets mounted on said common upright support with their axes diverging downwardly at an obtuse angle to one another and spaced vertically below said first pair of brackets, all of said support brackets having inner base ends shaped to seat flush against the surface of said common upright support and including means securing said base ends rigidly in place thereon said brackets each including an elongated main body comprising a plurality of strut members rigidly interconnecting a respective base end plate and a respective outer end plate for a high tension insulator, and generally tubular protective shroud means surrounding and enclosing each of said elongated main bodies substantially from end to end thereof.

10. The combination defined in claim 9 characterized in the provision of protective shroud means formed in a plurality of parts secured to said upright support means between said insulator support brackets and including normally-retracted extendable-footstep means for supporting a lineman while performing servicing operations.

11. The combination defined in claim 9 characterized in the provision of protective shroud means embracing said upright support between said first and third pairs of insulator support brackets and including means for securing the same to said upright support independently of said set of brackets.

12. The combination defined in claim 11 characterized in that said protective shroud means for said upright support is formed in two semicylindrical halves with generally outwardly projecting flange means distributed along their opposite lateral edges, and said securing means therefor including fastener means between juxtaposed portions of said flange means of said shroud halves.

13. The combination defined in claim 12 characterized in the provision of footstep means for supporting a lineman, said footstep means being mounted between said flange means and pivotable between a retracted nonoperating position substantially concealed between said flange means and an extended generally-horizontal operating position.

14. The combination defined in claim 13 characterized in that said shroud means for said upright support is applied to the latter with the flange means thereof lying generally coplanar with said set of insulator support brackets.

15. A mounting bracket for a high tension insulator comprising, a first base member provided with means for securing the same rigidly against a fixed support, a second base member provided with means centrally thereof for securing a high tension insulator to one outer face thereof, a plurality of elongated high-strength strut members having their opposite ends rigidly secured to said first and second base members, a plurality of protective h d members embracing said strut members as a group and extending thereabout between said first and second ba members, and means holding said shroud members in assembled position.

16. A mounting bracket as defined in claim 15 characterized in that said first base plate lies at an angle to the longitudinal axis of said group of strut members, and said second base member lying in a plane generally normal to said group of strut members.

17. A mounting bracket as defined in claim 15 characterized in that said protective shroud members are References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1964 Dreyfuss 17445 X 7/1967 Lindsey et al 174158 6 OTHER REFERENCES Lindsey Mfg. Co. advertisement, Electrical World, vol.

164, No.6, Aug. 9, 1965, p. 131.

LARAMIE E. ASKIN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 174149, 158 

